Club: East London GC

Location: East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Date: Jan 5-8, 2012

European Tour Golf Betting Odds: The stage is set for a thrilling exhibition of world class golf when the fourth Africa Open tees off at East London Golf Club from 5-8 January 2012. A stellar line-up of stars have declared themselves ready to launch their 2011 Race to Dubai bid in East London and challenge for the 1-million purse on offer.

Joining defending champion Charl Schwartzel in this year's field will be two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen, the first winner at East London Golf Club in 2009, Ryder Cup player and vice-captain Darren Clarke, BMW International Open winner, David Horsey and a host of other top local and international players.

Louis Oosthuizen, one of The European Tour’s six Major Champions of the past two seasons, has the honour of being the defending champion in this week’s Africa Open as The 2012 Race to Dubai gets underway.

A mere 25 days after Luke Donald ended the 2011 season as winner of The Harry Vardon Trophy in Dubai, the focus of The European Tour International Schedule shifts from the Middle East to the heart of Africa and the first of three events on that particular continent which herald the start of the 2012 season.

Twelve months ago Oosthuizen, still basking in the glory of his 2010 Open Championship triumph at St Andrews, produced a superb birdie three at the first play-off hole to capture the Africa Open title from Spain’s Manuel Quiros and Chris Wood of England.

Now the 29 year old South African returns home to the picturesque East London Golf Club hoping for a successful defence; which would be the ideal way to celebrate the imminent arrival of his second child.

Aside from Oosthuizen, the main draw in the Eastern Cape will be double US Open Champion Retief Goosen who has known both ends of the emotional rollercoaster that the Africa Open can produce; having missed the cut last year, but having claimed the title in 2009, the year before the tournament became a co-sanctioned event between The European Tour and the Sunshine Tour.

Coming from four behind in the final round that year, the 42 year old fired a final round of 65 which included eight birdies to hold off the Northern Irish duo of Darren Clarke and Michael Hoey and his compatriots Branden Grace and Darren Fichardt to record his 37th career victory.

While the international flavour of The European Tour will be represented at East London by an eclectic gathering that includes the top 20 finishers from the 2011 European Challenge Tour Order of Merit and 30 Qualifying School graduates, all hunting a fast start to their 2012 season.

But, as always, the bulk of the field will be made up by home players, the local challenge further strengthened by 2011 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Garth Mulroy, former SA Open champion James Kingston and Open de España winner Thomas Aiken, as well as Shaun Norris, who won the inaugural Africa Open in 2008 and returned to the winner’s circle at the 2011 Nashua Masters.

Mulroy claimed his first European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship last November. The 33 year old returns to East London for the first time since a tie for 28th in 2009.

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2012 Africa Open Winner - Louis Oosthuizen shines in Africa Open

Any professional golfer will say enjoying a victory on home soil is one of the sport's biggest achievements, but doing so twice in consecutive years is a great achievement that is experienced by only the finest competitors.

Former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen can now add the accomplishment to his resume after storming to a win at this weekend's Africa Open, where he defended his title at the East London Golf Club.

The South African professional carded a closing round score of 67 to hold off competition from fellow countrymen Tjaart Van der Walt and Retief Goosen after holding firm on the back nine and enjoying a two shot winner on 27-under-par.

"It was a real dogfight for most of the day," he commented following the win. "I remember watching [Van der Walt] when I was an amateur and it was just great seeing him play to his potential today."

"He played really well. He's one of those who won't go away. He's not going to mess it up - he's too consistent for that."

The two players were tied for the lead overnight, while Van der Walt started best on the final day despite the pressure of competing in the last grouping alongside two major champions.

Meanwhile, Scottish professional Martin Laird is currently making an impact at the Tournament of Champions event in Hawaii as he starts today's (January 9th) final round just five shots behind leader Steve Stricker.

The 29-year-old player carded a third-round score of 67 to join Jonathan Byrd and Webb Simpson in a share of second place after Stricker forfeited a ten-under-par five shot lead to a single point as he came through 14 at level par.

However, the current leader enjoyed four birdies on as many holes on the last stretch, which catapulted him to a further lead.

"Someone like Stricker, who has won a bunch and is obviously very experienced with the way he plays ... it's going to be tough to catch him," commented Laird.

At the same event, US duo Bryce Molder and Kevin Na are eight shots behind the top spot on 11-under-par following rounds of 67 and 71 respectively at the 2012 PGA Tour season opener on the Plantation Course at Kapuala.

Stricker, who has enjoyed 11 victories on the PGA Tour, triumphed at the John Deere Classic and the Memorial Tournament last year, which has made him stand out as a force to be reckoned with at the launch of this year's proceedings.

2011 Africa Open winner - Louis Oosthuizen wins the 2011 African Open

Louis Oosthuizen birdied the first play-off hole to win the Africa Open and deny Chris Wood and Manuel Quiros a maiden European Tour title.

All three had finished tied on 16 under par at East London Golf Club after an enthralling last round which saw no fewer than seven different leaders on the final day.

Playing the 18th as the first extra hole it was Oosthuizen who looked to be in trouble off the tee as he hooked left, but, after finding a fortunate lie, he showed the class that made him Open Champion to fire his approach to eight feet.

And when Quiros narrowly failed to chip in from the fringe and Wood fractionally missed his 25 foot birdie effort, Oosthuizen calmly holed out for a third European Tour title.